Laugh, and pause to think -- Poi Solla Porom
WORTHY REMAKE: Poi Solla Porom
Poi Solla Porom
Genre: Comedy
Director: Vijay
Cast: Karthik Kumar, Piya, Nasser, Mouli, Nedumudi Venu
Storyline: A gullible old man is cheated by land sharks but his sons aren’t going to allow them to get away with it …
Bottomline: A must-see film for all
Even as the titles roll and incongruities are placed side by side on screen (Penguins in a sandy desert and Osama Bin Laden and Bush in a hearty handshake are examples.), you smile and get ready for a levity-filled binge. UTV’s ‘Poi Solla Porom’ (U) is also praiseworthy for the sense and sensibility beneath the line of comedy.
‘PSP’ is a realistic take on the city’s realty scene where the vulnerable, law abiding middle class is at the receiving end. Screenplay is a strong point. The film has no item numbers, duets or stunts, but is immensely watch-worthy. Jaideep Sahni achieved it with ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’ and Vijay reiterates it in ‘Poi Solla Porom.’
How it happens
It’s a story of seemingly uncaring children and responsible parents. A crisis stirs chords of affection and unity in the family. Sathyanathan (Nedumudi Venu) aspires to build a dream home for his wife and children, with the money he gets after retirement, while son Uppilinathan (Karthik Kumar) is keen to go abroad. So when an avaricious land broker (VMC Haneefa) gets him a piece of land and also allows the menacing Baby (Nasser) who is into illegal land deals, to occupy it, the family gets together to fight it out, matching fraud for fraud. Help comes to them in the form of Asif (Bosskey), Uppili’s girl friend Amritha (Piya) and her father, whom everyone calls ‘Daddy’ (Mouli).
Director Vijay deserves to be lauded for many aspects of ‘PSP.’ One, of course, is the cast. Vijay brings out the best out of Karthik Kumar, who looks every inch a software professional. He matches, and at times overtakes Parvin Dabas who did the part in ‘KKG.’ None of the directors till date have used Karthik so well. Vying for top honours is Mouli who steals the show with a mind-blowing performance. In the part of ‘Daddy,’ posing as the rich man Varma from Dubai, he wins hands down. Again it’s quite a break for Bosskey, who does a neat job as Asif, the man plotting to teach the villain a lesson. Underplay is the key and Bosskey emerges successful. New find Piya gets her expressions right though lip sync is an obvious problem. But Suchi’s (She’s dubbed for her.) lively voice adds pep to Piya’s expressions. Boman Irani who did Nasser’s role in ‘KKG’ showed how villainy can be funny … even likeable. Nasser as the land grabber isn’t far behind, but surely Irani is ahead. Nasser looks obese in ‘PSP’ but it adds to the fun and Nedumudi Venu as Sathyanathan is natural, but again he only comes a close second to Anupam Kher’s classic portrayal of Khosla Senior. Actor Rajesh who has given voice for Venu is a definite value-addition.
Other pluses
Vijay’s dialogue, both humorous and thought-provoking, tickles the viewer almost throughout. Na. Muthukumar’s meaningful lyrics, the montage shots for the tracks and the tunes in general are highlights of M.G. Sreekumar’s music. But Gopisundar’s re-recording score is a little too loud for comfort. So when instruments fall silent in crucial scenes it’s a relief. If lighting can add to the fun, cinematographer Arvind Krishna’s does. The scene of the first meeting between Nasser and Venu, where the lighting is exaggeratedly eerie, is one such. Editing (Antony) is another satisfying aspect.
Vijay’s remake is as enjoyable as its Hindi counterpart. And in his urge to innovate he introduces a few more sequences which go down well with the viewer. ‘Kireedam,’ Vijay’s maiden effort, may not have fetched him the desired results. But this time round he has understood the pulse of the audience even while sticking to his stand of providing standard fare. The makers should laugh their way to the bank. They deserve to.
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
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